Skating adventure

You can see the skating rinks from in front of our house.

Max was startled when he tried to stand and his feet moved.

We showed them what skating looked like.

Max was still suspicious but willing to try... Vanh not so much...

...poor guy, his skate was loose.

While consoling Vanh I didn't realize what was happening behind my back...




...Max skated on his own! At 18 months!
(Not recommended for children under two)

Can you do this?

Keep it in the tub, boys

18 months old

26 pounds
2 1/2 feet tall (77 cm)





Still having two naps a day -mostly. Did you know that 90% of 12-month-olds have two naps a day, but only 10% of 18-month-olds do?

Walking, a little running, curious and exploring but not huge risk takers. Climbing up stairs but nervous of our steep straight ones.

Talking a little and using signs. Playing and eating, mostly serious but sometimes laughing lots.

Darling little boys, we love you so much. Happy 1 1/2 Birthday!

Cakes made of 18 profiteroles

Vanh eyed one suspiciously...

... replaced it, then returned the whole plate to the table.

Max liked his!

To be fair, Vanh had a miserable cold and no appetite. You can hear him in these quick videos of Max:

Priceless

Speechless (me)

Just wanted to make it clear that it is not the boys who are truly speechless... remember this video from 4 months ago? It was me who was thinking maybe this isn't something for the blog... but I decided the benefits of sharing this information outweigh the likelihood of it embarrassing them any more than their baby photos when their first girlfriends Google them. Sorry boys.

Anyway, back to 4 months ago. After the initial Uh-oh and Da-da, we expected more words to come, and were not disappointed with the addition of Ma-ma and Elk. (The fact that "Ma-ma"s most consistent meaning is grapes and "elk" refers to a cat didn't worry us.) Then I started to notice The Others.
"Ball," said a little one at playgroup. "Truck."
"Ma-ma" - meaning Ma-ma, not grapes. And all from younger and younger babies... but all babies are different, and everyone knows (or is) someone who didn't talk until well over 2 and are fine now, and our kids heard a different language until 7 months, and I didn't want to be one of "those" mothers... So I didn't worry. But then... "Umbrella," said a little one barely old enough to sit up.
"Elk!" repeated our boys delightedly, every time they saw a cat, or heard the word cat, or saw a picture of a cat, or a dog with pointy ears... "That's a bit odd," said the playgroup teacher. And of course there are the ubiquitous checklists, which our boys kept "failing". So we took them to First Words screening just in case. As I kept saying - better to get on the waiting list now (it takes up to a year to access services), and hope the issue goes away, then to find ourselves a year from now really needing help.

The first step was to fill out a little checklist. Then we met with a Speech-Language Pathologist who engaged the boys in some very social play, and showed us some ideas to promote early language. She evaluated them as doing well with the social aspects of language, but not making the variety of sounds we would expect by now. So they have been referred for the next step in the process, with the opportunity to be fully evaluated by a Speech Therapist coming over 6 months from now in September. Unless... Do we have private insurance? She also said: they are right on the edge of being eligible, the checklists are subjective, the lack of background info in our case leaves gaps in the validity of her screening, and that there is a good chance they will be fine, but why not get into the system just in case...

Which was exactly what I thought and wanted. So why aren't I happier?

Sleeping Bunnies

See the little bunnies sleeping, sleep 'til nearly noon

Come along and wake them up, with our merry tune

Why are they so still? Are those bunnies ill? No, they're just resting...

Wake up bunnies!

Wake up little bunnies, hop, hop, hop,

Wake up little bunnies, hop, hop, hop,

Wake up little bunnies, hop, hop, hop,

Hop,

and stop.

(I can stand on my head, too)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
(I know this would be more effective as a video, but you really don't want to hear me sing)
PS Max with right sleeve pushed up, Vanh with left sleeve up)

Merry Christmas

Santa came!

Laughing Santas

17 months old

Facebook updates

For earlier posts click here

June 1
Samantha is looking for the X

June 5
Samantha is looking for the number to call in sick

June 15
Samantha is wondering why the dog smells so bad...?

June 19
Samantha is hanging out with newly 11-month-old babies

June 20
Samantha is a fan of crib toys

June 22
Samantha is nothing ends a relaxing bath faster than a fresh spider corpse

June 27
Samantha is alone and thumping (first time boys out with grandparents)

July 14
Samantha is listening to Blues Fest through the baby monitor

July 18
Samantha is getting ready for Max & Vanh's first birthday tomorrow

July 19
Samantha is Happy Birthday Van-bug! Happy Birthday Max-bird!

July 20
Samantha is thankful for the chance to celebrate her children's birthday

July 21
Samantha would like all mommies to know: swim-diapers are machine washable

August 4
Samantha is looking for company for the park

August 16
Samantha had a great time at Mike's cottage, going back Wednesday and this weekend!

Samantha is waterpark tomorrow, 9am, be there or be suffocatingly hot once again

August 19
Samantha is babies 13 months today, ooh lucky month

August 26
Samantha is wondering what is the best way to deal with a poop-in-the-bath situation

September 2
Samantha has the cutest twin boys in the world. It's not boasting I had nothing to do with it.

September 8
Samantha is wasp stings are itchy but not that painful

September 16
Samantha is wondering what the going rate for babysitters is? Thinking it is no longer a dollar an hour... two after midnight...

September 21
Samantha's freaky 14-month old child has 16 teeth!

Samantha's other child is too busy WALKING to grow teeth... yes, Vanh took his first steps. Why do I feel this sense of impending doom?

September 22
Samantha is drunk with car power

October 1
Samantha can't believe the boys missed curfew AGAIN. Oh well, at least they called this time.

October 2
Samantha got the boys' lanterns for Tết Trung Thu tomorrow!

October 5
Samantha loves loves LOVES her boys but is still hoping they nap until five.

October 13
Samantha is thankful for the used toys left on our front porch but needing the batteries for them to appear as well

October 14
Samantha loves playgroup. Sigh.

October 16
Samantha :twin hurricanes leave chaotic plastic rainbows

October 19
Samantha is WON'T SOMEBODY COME VISIT PLEASE

October 25
Samantha is not taking her children to a restaurant again until they're 30

October 28
Samantha is finished putting back the garbage that was dumped out by baby #1 when she had to undo the childproofing to get at the cleaning supplies to deal with the coffee pulled off the table by baby #2 while she was changing the 5th diaper of the hour on baby #1 and beginning to wonder if someone snuck a third baby in here?

Samantha :The adjective you are looking for could be birth, biological, first, or Vietnamese. Please don't ask about my children's real mother. I am neither fake nor imaginary.

October 30
Samantha is excited about her first time Trick-or-Treating as a parent

November 1
Samantha wishes the boys would catch on to daylight savings time as fast as they got the idea of Trick-or-treating

November 10
Samantha is officially the mother of toddlers

November 11
Samantha is remembering

November 19
Samantha is celebrating the boys' one-and-a-third birthday today!

November 23
Samantha is TGIM

November 28
Samantha is happy to announce we may have 2 more boys around here soon (for daycare)

November 30
Samantha is thinking WELCOME Molly!

December 3
Samantha is back from (unsuccessful) stroller shopping

December 4
Samantha is hmm quiet playgroup today

December 5
Samantha is listening to her kids meow and hoping they learn some human words soon

December 8
Samantha :Just because the marker says "washable" does not mean it washes off of furniture, paint, plastic, wood floors, or skin. Or teeth.

December 9
Samantha :hello Mr. Snow!

December 10
Samantha is wondering how she raised a child who thinks goldfish crackers and marshmallows are a viable breakfast option.

Snow: the verdict

We don't like it.

Picture with Santa II

Look what Donna did!

Christmas tree

Christmas is coming

Getting ready for a party at Daddy's work


Making new friends at the party



Playing with a new toy from Santa



Click here for more

Santa Claus parade

Max had his first taste of candy cane


By the way, that is NOT Max's pink mitten. (These are a friend's photos that I "borrowed" because we forgot our camera.) Max in fact REFUSED to wear his mittens and his hands were still cold when he went to bed.

(Interestingly, he chose to wear them this morning for an hour of inside playtime. With sleepers, sunglasses, and his Santa hat.)

Big boys drink milk

Something to remember: Just mixed the last little bit of formula...

Snow update

It snowed again during morning playtime - big fluffy floaty flakes the boys could clearly see through the full-glass door. I couldn't find the camera in time to get a photo of their reaction to their first sight of snow but it wouldn't have been as good as the image in my head anyway. Just wait until they find out sometimes it stays around!